A doctor has warned that an “overwhelming” symptom likely means you have flu rather than a cold. His advice comes as levels of the illness are continuing to spike in the UK.

The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showed that in the week up to December 7 flu positivity increased in England with a weekly mean positivity rate of 21 per cent compared with 17 per cent in the previous week. Hospital admissions due to flu also rose to 10.05 per 100,000 people, compared with 8.09 per 100,000.

Speaking in a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, Doctor Suraj Kukadia - who is better known online as Dr Sooj - explained some of the differences between a cold and flu. He said: “Flu is not just a bad cold it's caused by the influenza virus.

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“And yes it's a viral illness, and it tends to hit you hard and fast, especially in the autumn and winter when people spend more time indoors with the windows and doors shut and people are coughing and spluttering and sneezing all over each other. And that helps the viruses spread much more quickly.”

According to Dr Sooj, your symptoms might appear out of nowhere. He said: “It usually comes on suddenly, so one day you might feel okay but the next day you might feel completely wiped out.”

Symptoms include “overwhelming exhaustion”. “People will describe symptoms like fever, muscle aches, headaches, chills, and kind of like an overwhelming exhaustion,” he continued.

“It's the kind of illness that will put you in bed, not the type of illness that you just kind of push through and carry on with your daily activities. A dry cough is common, and your everyday tasks may feel impossible.”

In comparison, a cold might occur more gradually. He said: “It's very different from a cold.

"So colds can creep up gradually, and primarily, they'll cause a blocked nose or stuffy nose or runny nose, a sore throat, and they can even cause pressure in your ears.

“You can also get a chestier cough with mucus, but you will probably feel rough, but you can still function.” Dr Sooj added that you do not need antibiotics if you have flu or a cold.

He said: “And remember that just having a chesty cough with mucus does not necessarily mean that you need antibiotics, because antibiotics will do absolutely nothing against the virus.” Dr Sooj also warned that you could confuse Covid symptoms with colds or flu.

“Now, with Covid, you can get a bit of an overlap with colds and flues, but people will be more likely to lose their sense of taste, their sense of smell, or they may develop diarrhoea or an upset tummy,” he said.

Certain groups of people in the UK are eligible for free Covid and flu jabs, which will help lower the risk of serious illness. To check if you qualify, visit the NHS website here.